Bolster for car-trucks



(No Model v HE. PRATT.

BOLSTEB FOR GAR TRU'GK S.

Patented Oct; 11,1881.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE;

ELIAS E. PRATT, ()F NORWOOD, MASSACHUSETTS.

BOLSTER FOR CAR-TRUCKS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 248,057, dated October 11, 1881.

Application filed July 16, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it "may concern Be it known that I, ELIAS E.PRATT,OfNOI'- wood, in the county of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Im provemen t in Bolsters for Gar-Trucks,

of which the following is a description sufficiently full,clear,and exact to enable anyperson skilled in the art or science to which myinvention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is an isometrical perspective view, and Fig. 2 a view of the spring-cap detached.

Like letters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawmgs.

My invention relates to the swinging bolsters of railway'car-trucks; and it consists in a novel construction and arrangement of the parts, as hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed, by which a lighter, stronger, and more efi'ectivc device of this character is produced than is now in ordinary use.

In the drawings, A represents the sides or body of the bolster, which are composed of vertically-arranged plates of channel-iron having the inwardly-projecting lips or flanges a a. These plates are connected at theirlower edges by the horizontal plate B and at their upper edge by the plate 0 and trusses D D, to which they are firmly riveted. The plate 0 carries the ordinary center-plate or hearing, E, and the trusses are designed to aid in supporting the sides of the car.

The bed F is designed to he provided, with the usual hanging-gear of the truck, and is surmounted with .two sets of ordinary elliptic springs, G, attached to the same at d d.

Firmly secured to each set of the springs G there is ahorizontal cap or movable bearing,

H, provided with a series of vertical slots, wit, and the centrally-disposed socket, I.

Projecting from the inner faces of the sides A, near the ends of the same, are a series of vertically-arranged flanged ribs, z 2, which serve to strengthen the sides, and also extend into the slots :10 ac and act as guides for the cap H when the same is in position in the body of the bolster, as shown in Fig. 1.

A coiled spring, J, having its lower end inserted in the socket I, is mounted on each otthe caps H, its upper end beingproperly securedin position against the under side of the truss D.

In the use of my improvement it will be obvious that I obtain all the advantages arising from the employment of the ordinary springs G and auxiliary springs J without increasing the height of the truck, the cap Hworkingvertically 011 the guides 2 as the spring J is compressed or relieved.

It will also be obvious that two or more auxiliary springs may be used on each of the caps H, it'desired, and thatthe form of the guides 2 may be changed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus explained my improvement, what I claim is-- The com hination of the bolster frame composed of the connected parallel flanged plates, arranged edgewise and having vertical strengthening guide-ribs at each end, the caps vertically movable on said guide-ribs,the bed, the elliptic springs interposed between the bed and movable caps, and the auxiliary springs arranged between the caps and the trusses connecting the side plates, substantially as described.

- ELIAS E. PRATT.

Witnesses:

0. A. SHAW,

H. J. HUTCHlNSON. 

